GoSale.com :: Reviews by A1Y9LO25VNJLMT

Reviews Written By: A1Y9LO25VNJLMT

provided by Amazon.com


	Collective Soul - Collective Soul
	"Fabulous Second Album From Collective Soul!"	2008-09-26
This awesome band was formed in 1993 by guitarist/singer/songwriter Ed Roland. In order to complete the line-up, his brother Dean Roland joined on rhythm guitar, along with an underrated lead guitarist called Ross Childress, plus Will Turpin on bass, and Shane Evans on drums.br /By 1994, their debut "Hints, Allegations, And Things Left Unsaid" was released and generated one major hit, "Shine" but this 1995 self-titled sophomore offering (sometimes called the blue album) was a vast improvement! Every song rules and Ed Roland emerges as a very skilled songwriter as all songs were written by him except for two, where the credit is shared between him and lead guitarist Childress. The album was recorded in many different studios and the production task was done by Ed Roland himself! For me, this album is already up to a good start because blue is my favorite color! br /br /The first song, written by Roland with help from Childress, goes by the name "Simple". It combines elements of hard rock and funk with impressive results while singer Roland sings lyrics that say love is all you should need. Next comes "Untitled" where the band goes for a more alternative rock sound and it's one of the best. A catchy chorus is included and at the same time, there are some cool riffs in the verses. In the middle lead guitarist Childress delivers a fantastic, mean solo most notable for an inventive, descending chromatic phrasing before it concludes with a lick much influenced by the guitar soloing technique of Ace Frehley, notably his solo on the Kiss song "She" from "Dressed To Kill". The ballad "The World I Know" is the second and final Roland/Childress penned composition; it became a radio hit and it's easy to see why! A memorable acoustic guitar sequence introduces it but it's the string arrangement what really enhances the song! Bassist Turpin provides some notable bass lines in the verses. Afterwards comes another hit called "Smashing Young Man" with a catchy riff plus some wah wah pedal usage but the fifth cut "December" is actually the very first tune I heard from them back in 1995. The song became a hit even in my home country of Argentina! During a taxi ride, the driver had the radio on and this cool arpeggio sequence came in. I thought it was fantastic and became instantly hooked, but it wasn't until early 1999 that I finally bought the album!br /br /Anyway, the sixth cut "Where The River Flows" is another modern hard rock gem! In the middle there are some riffs that could be considered metal plus you get a notable vocal performance from Roland. "Gel" is yet another hard rock masterpiece while in "She Gathers Rain" the band takes a more mid-paced tempo. The guitars have a thick distorted tone that I really liked on this track but the most interesting thing is the fact that for me, the most memorable part is not the chorus but rather the pre-chorus! Listen to Childress' short melodic solo, pretty simple yet effective! "When The Water Falls" is such an overlooked song that's easily one of the highlights. A bright sounding arpeggio introduces this pop/rock number filled with catchy hooks. The addition of organ in the chorus was a good idea. Singer Roland uses a special effect on his voice in the poppy "Collection Of Goods".br /A staccato rhythm guitar part is employed at the start of "Bleed" and what follows is a set of great melodies in both the verses and chorus plus another incredibly melodic solo in the middle! The album's closing "Reunion" is the shortest of all clocking at around 2:34, and the most unusual. There's a gospel influence on display on this acoustic guitar driven composition and even some slide guitar. A suitable exit to say the least!br /br /For fans of alternative with a hard rock twist, this is an excellent choice to get as, like I said, every song rules! You won't be disappointed!br /Thanks for taking the time to read!br /Later...
	Pink Floyd - Obscured By Clouds
	"Amazing Soundtrack Album From Pink Floyd"	2008-09-20
The music contained on this album was made for the French movie La Vallée. I haven't seen the movie but all I know, is that the ten songs that make up this LP are fantastic! It was recorded in March, 1972 at the Château d'Herouville and it finally came out in June of the same year. The line-up featured is the classic one: Roger Waters on vocals/bass, David Gilmour on guitar, Rick Wright on keyboards/vocals, and Nick Mason on drums. br /I still remember when I decided to buy the first Pink Floyd album, it was in early 1999. I went to the music store and as I was glancing at all the albums that they had on the shelf, I just couldn't decide which one to pick. Eventually I chose "Obscured By Clouds" mostly for it's cover! It really caught my attention with those strange colored circles against that bluish background...It turned out to be very enjoyable!br /br /There are four instrumentals included and the first song, the title track, is one. It's an atmospheric piece thanks to Wright's usage of an early synthesizer, his newly acquired VCS 3 that makes a thick sound. Mason keeps a steady drum beat while Gilmour throws some moody slide guitar fills until the fade out. Quickly, the second number (also an instrumental) comes in and it's called "When You're In". It's the shortest song on the album clocking in at two minutes and a half. A pair of catchy hard rock riffs are repeated throughout until it slowly begins to fade out. br /Now it's time for "Burning Bridges", the first song to feature vocals. It goes in a prog-rock direction with inventive chord progressions plus a melodic slide guitar solo from Gilmour. The album takes a quick turn in "The Gold It's In The..." as it is a pure hard rock number! One of the very few songs they done in this style. It's one of my favorites! As expected, killer rhythm and lead guitar is showcased and the verses and chorus are catchy as well.br /br /"Wot's...Uh The Deal?" is one of the few popular songs off this record. Definitely, an album highlight that seems to go in a folk direction. Wright's piano sounds very good here. For the verses, a descending chord progression is employed, but the chorus stands out too while Gilmour manages to squeeze a cool solo that uses his trademark slide playing. The third instrumental "Mudmen" follows and it's a reprise of "Burning Bridges", therefore it follows the same chord structure. The difference is in the sound of the instruments, notably the keyboards. The soloing from Gilmour has a much more prominent sound too, as opposed to the earlier version.br /br /An hypnotic hammond organ wall of sound introduces the next song "Childhood's End". However, it quickly changes and the main body of the songs turns out to be a mid-tempo funky number that happens to be a favorite of mine! "Free Four" is another folky song that managed to gain some radio airplay back in the day. The melodies and the singing are quite catchy but the arrangement also makes room for Gilmour to play some killer lead guitar parts. After it's fade out comes the Wright-sung ballad "Stay". One of the most overlooked songs from their catalog! The dominant instrument is the piano, but I liked Gilmour's guitar sound here, filtered through a wah wah pedal. The final song "Absolutely Curtains" is the longest cut almost reaching the six minute mark and without a doubt, the most unusual on the album. It also starts with an hypnotic hammond organ sound that gradually gives way to the final section: a tribal chant! Quite an experiment to say the least!br /br /This is a highly recommended album if you like rock with an experimental edge and prog-rock. It also includes some touches of hard rock and folk as well. Well worth checking out!br /Thanks for taking the time to read!br /Later...
	Metallica - ...And Justice For All
	"Metallica's Heaviest Album!"	2008-09-16
In 1988, the band's fourth album, "...And Justice For All" came out and it topped the last three in heaviness. It is the first recording to feature bassist Jason Newsted while the rest of the band remained the same: James Hetfield on vocals/rhythm guitar, Lars Ulrich on drums, and Kirk Hammett on lead guitar. The production by Flemming Rasmussen is notable for the lack of bass, but still I enjoyed it as much as the others. The band's songwriting reaches epic proportions more often than not here as the shortest song lasts for over five minutes.br /br /I cannot listen to Metallica without being reminded of the year 1998. That's when I bought all their albums up to Garage Inc, at that point, their latest album. It was my last year of life in my home country of Argentina! In fact, my very last day there was December 15, 1998 to be precise! Anyway, before going into the song detail, there's a thing that I would like to point out. I noticed a songwriting pattern that most of the songs (five-minute range and up) from their early period (first four albums) seem to follow. Usually, after an intro and the two verses/choruses, a mini-jam develops (it could be instrumental all the way or include some vocals too) in the middle before going back to a verse or chorus. I really like this structure, and I'll go ahead and tell you that, for me, these middle jams are the highlight of the songs! Let's go through the best cuts.br /br /After a short, melodic, harmonized guitar fade-in, the first trash metal riff opens the album and the song is called "Blackened". It's the only song to get a songwriting credit from new member Newsted. The lyrics deal with the obliteration of planet Earth. The chorus is really catchy, but like I said, the riffs in the middle totally rule and so does Hammett's solo, that includes shredding, tapping, phrasings that resemble his earlier solo on "Whiplash" and it finally concludes with tremolo arm pyrotechnics! A great way of starting the album!br /The title track is the second song, just like in the previous two albums and it's a metal masterpiece that lasts for nine minutes and a forty two seconds. A haunting melodic intro starts it, then Hetfield sings some lyrics that criticize the law system, and there's another awesome mid-jam too with some harmonized guitar melodies. Now let's go to "One", the album's biggest hit. It follows the half ballad/trash metal structure. An anti-war song this is that features a cool solo in this ballad part. About half way through the heavy section comes in with that fast rhythm guitar that seems to mimic the sound of a fire arm and afterwards comes Hammett excellent second solo which made it to the top ten of Guitar World's greatest solos of all time list! Surprisingly, as he said in interviews, Hammett was displeased with the results of his first attempt, so he re-recorded it at a later point but was never totally satisfied with the results, but he did a good enough job for sure!br /br /The mostly instrumental "To Live Is To Die" is yet another gem. Note that bassist Cliff Burton gets a songwriting credit. The lyrics seem to talk about his death. A memorable acoustic theme introduces it before it moves in the heavy section where awesome riffs come one after another! Hammett plays a shattering lead too but my favorite part of the song is when it slows down for a melodic section with short guitar overdubs that seem to mimic the sound of a violin. At nine minutes and forty eight seconds, it's the longest song. The same acoustic intro theme is brought back for the outro and the final song "Dyers Eve" comes rushing in without warning! It's a pure trash metal song all the way through and it's one of the best! The topic of hate is explored in the lyrics but is the mean riffing and Ulrich's stellar dual bass drumming here that really takes the song home!br /br /Now it's on to the album's not so best songs (for me of course). "Eye Of The Beholder" is a great collection of furious riffs with Hetfield singing about the topic of freedom. Some tremolo arm pyrotechnics are utilized at the start of the solo. The best part is in the middle, where one of the riffs introduced at the beginning is slightly altered and it sounds better! "The Shortest Straw" is probably my least favorite song here, but much more than just listenable though. As always, there are a lot of good riffs and melodies included. The songs "Harvester Of Sorrow" and "The Frayed Ends Of Sanity" deal with the topic of mental health. In the former, I liked the clean guitar arpeggio in the beginning. Note how it is then played with the heavy distortion. That's good sense of dynamics. The latter is another example of a monster middle jam! Hammett really tears it up! Tons of memorable riffs too!br /br /This is not one of my top five favorite Metallica albums, but as you can see I like it a lot still! The rhythm guitar parts sound fresh even today! So if you're looking for a great metal album, then you can consider adding this masterpiece to your collection!br /Thanks for taking the time to read!br /Later...
	Weezer - Weezer
	"Weezer's Debut Is A Punk Pop Masterpiece"	2008-08-24
In 1991 singer/songwriter/guitarist Rivers Cuomo came along to form this band called Weezer and recruited lead guitarist Brian Bell, bass player Matt Sharp, and drummer Patrick Wilson. It wasn't until two years later in September 1993 that the band finally completed this marvelous debut known as "The Blue Album". To produce the ten songs included they chose Ric Ocasek from the popular 70's new wave group The Cars. I really like the raw sound that this recording has and the cover looks cool too mostly because blue happens to be my favorite color! An acoustic guitar arpeggio opens the album's first song "My Name Is Jonas" in good fashion and then the distorted guitars kick in along with the distinctive vocals of Cuomo. Note the harmoinca towards the end. The next song is one of my favorites from the album and that is "No One Else". This is a punk pop masterpiece. Cool short melodic solo by Bell and even cooler lyrics to go along. The third song "The World Has Turned And Left Me Here" was writtem by Cuomo and Wilson. The band takes a more mid-paced tempo in this ballad-like haunting number. "Buddy Holly" is one of the album's most popular tracks that still gets radio airplay and for a good reason. Great melodies occur throughout and I liked that simple synth line that was added to the verses! After an abrupt end we go into the party song "Undone - The Sweater Song". I always thought that this arpeggio in the intro sounds kind of eerie! It's pretty much a straightforward pop song but it becomes quite trippy towards the end with that torrent of feedback from the guitars and dissonant piano notes. Now it's time for the good time feel of "Surf Wax America" where again the songwrtiting credit is shared between Cuomo and Wilson. This is another personal favorite! Great melodies based around a major scale are featured but the best part is in the middle when it quiets down and Cuomo sings very softly while bassist Sharp plays a catchy four note ascending line before it goes back to the beginning structure. Continuing along we find "Say It Ain't So" which is the other radio hit from the album and is definitely a highlight. An inventive arpeggio is included during the verses while towards the end guitarist Bell plays a cool melodic solo. "In the Garage" is the second song on the album to feature some harmonica playing and I liked the lyric that mentions Ace Frehley and Peter Cirss of hard rock group Kiss! Next is the sunny pop of "Holiday". There's a slight Beach Boys influence here notable in the middle where bassist Sharp is doing the vocals. However the last number that goes by "Only In Dreams" is also a highlight! Clocking at eight minutes, it's the longest cut. Sharp's bass provides the song's main catchy melody line on this sad song. Strong melodies occur in the chorus and as it progresses, it turns into an instrumental jam. A rarity indeed! This is the only time we get to hear the band in this mode. This jam perfectly captures the interplay between the guitars of Cuomo and Bell, and some fine drum fills from Wilson. Matt Sharp gets to play the last note, therefore putting an ending to this awesome album! If you are looking for a good punk pop album, then you gotta add this excellent debut to your collection for sure as there are no weak songs to be found here! There are two versions to choose from: the original 1994 release or the new 2004 expanded deluxe edition. If you ask me, the deluxe edition is the one to go for! It was remastered and now includes an extra CD of rarities plus an expanded booklet with lyrics too! Thanks for taking the time to read! Later...
	Rainbow - Long Live Rock & Roll
	"The Last Rainbow Offering With Dio"	2008-08-22
The Blackmore/Dio/Powell axis ended on a high note with this 1978 album featuring a great band drawing for the cover. It continues in the hard rock/early metal vein of the previous one with a few surprises as well. In addition to Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Ronnie James Dio (vocals), and Cozy Powell (drums), two new members came in for the recording with Bob Daisley on bass and David Stone on keyboards. In charge of the production was the great Martin Birch just like the last two albums. The challenge in Rainbow is try to pay attention to what the keyboard is doing on each song as it tends to get pushed back in favor of the guitar! The first song "Long Live Rock And Roll" displays their bluesy hard rock with excellent vocals by Dio, and a killer solo by Blackmore. One of the few songs from this album to be played regularly in concert. Note the fine keyboard playing that accompanies throughout the song. Too bad it's kind of buried in the mix. The second cut is "Lady Of The Lake". A mean riff by Blackmore is repeated for the verses but the chorus ends up being the real highlight of the song. Unlike the previous track, the keyboard work here is very prominent with that choir-aah sound that I really like! Also notice that for the second and final verses, Blackmore adds a slide guitar overdub that really enhances the song. For the next song, the album goes back to more bluesy hard rock in "LA Connection" where the guitar seems to be filtered through a phasing effect. But my favorite part comes at the end where Stone steps in to add some cool piano runs. However the best is yet to come with the epic eastern-tinged fourth number "Gates Of Babylon". This got to be one of Rainbow's best songs ever! A stunning keyboard intro opens this masterpiece. Then the main part of the song appears with a haunting eastern riff, stellar vocals by Dio, the choir-aah keyboard for the chorus, and one of the best solos Blackmore ever did! This is definitely among his top five! The rebellious "Kill The King" comes next and it's an excellent early speed metal number that drummer Powell co-wrote with Dio and Blackmore. Check out Liege Lord's great cover on their album "Master Control". Blackmore's bluesy soloing introduces the next number called "The Shed (Subtle)" that also includes a songwriting credit to Powell. A catchy riff is repeated throughout that sounds slightly reminiscent of the Deep Purple song "Stormbringer". No keyboard here? Of course there is. Listen carefully towards the end for that thick Hammond organ sound. The fast-paced "Sensitive To Light" is the shortest song on the album at only three minutes and it seems to go in a pop direction. Very enjoyable song, especially the melodic instrumental bridge that pops up in the middle. But there's still one more highlight to come with the ballad "Rainbow Eyes". Easily one of the best ballads the group ever wrote! Dio has a nice gentle voice here while Blackmore plays some seemingly Hendrix inspired rhythm guitar. But don't overlook it's marvelous string arrangement that includes a flute player as well! I really like the ending too, when that melody keeps repeating until the fade out. A great way of finishing this awesome album! Fans of hard rock should definitely consider adding this hard rock masterpiece to their respective collections as soon as possible! You won't be disappointed! Thanks for taking the time to read! Later...
	Need For Speed 3: Hot Pursuit
	"What A Great Racing Game This Is!"	2008-08-17
I love this game! If I had to choose one out of the first four NFS games in the series, then this is, by far, my favorite. I still play it a lot. I'm so glad I kept my old computer because that's the reason why I can still play it! The return of the pursuit mode was great here after it's absence on NFS 2. I still remember when I purchased it back in early 1999. Brings back memories like, for example, when I was in my last year of Junior High School... The game play is excellent and so are the graphics, especially the sky desing on each track. I liked the music too, but only the hard-rock/metal jams. The techno songs are nothing special. There are five circuits to choose from: "Hometown/Country Woods", "Red Rock Ridge/Lost Canyon", "Atlantica"/"Aquatica", "Rocky Pass"/"The Summit", plus a secret track that you can unlock after winning the knockout competition called "Empire City". Now, for the first time, you can race during the day or at night, plus with rain too!! But my favorite, by far, is the "Atlantica"/"Aquatica" circuit! A very cool track this is, with those exotic looking buildings. But my favorite part is the boardwalk! When I use the pursuit car and have only one opponent left to bust, this is the place where I like to deploy the spike trip so that, while I wait for the car to come by, I can look at that sunset sky from the boardwalk in Aquatica. I really like this place! That's where I would like to go for a vacation! I like the music (not the techno, but the hard-rock number) that shows up here too. A very cool theme with a melodic guitar solo keeps repeating. I really like this melody and fits well with this part of the track. Of course I thought the other circuits are great too. As always, a good line-up of exotic cars is featured. The cars are divided into three classes according to their performance: A, B, and C. In the class A you can find cars like Lamborgini Diablo SV, Jaguar XJR-15, Mercedes Benz CLK-GTR, Italdesign Schigera, among others. Class B includes Lamborgini Countach, Chevrolet Corvette, Ferrari F355, and class C features the Jaguar XK8 and Aston Martin DB7. There's also a secret car as well called "El NiÃ±o" which is really fast indeed! You have access to it once you win the tournament mode. The other playing modes, tournament and knockout, are a lot of fun too. Definitely one of the best racing games from the late nineties for sure!
	Jimi Hendrix - Axis: Bold As Love
	"Sophomore Album Equals Psychedelic Rock Masterpiece!"	2008-08-14
The band had barely finished recording their debut when they started working on the second album Axis: Bold As Love. Released in 1967, this is a solid effort all the way through. Jimi Hendrix is featured on guitar and vocals, Noel Redding plays bass and sings on one song, and there's Mitch Mitchell on drums and some background vocals. Production duties, like the first album, were handled by Chas Chandler for the thirteen songs included. Throughout the recording there's an excellent mix of funk, soul, pop, jazz, psychedelic rock, early hard rock, and even some avant-garde. The album starts in a very unusual way indeed so let me give a detailed description of this song called "EXP" which is by far, one of Jimi's most avant-garde inspired songs he ever did! After a false start reminiscent of the first bars of "Stone Free", the music stops and what we hear is the voice of drummer Mitchell welcoming us to a radio station and announces that he's going to feature an interview with a person who is, in his own words, "a very peculiar looking gentleman that goes by the name of Mr. Paul Carusoe" played by Jimi. Mitch asks him about whether aliens and UFO's exist or not and Carusoe (Jimi) replies simply that you just can't believe everything you see, and hear, and then says "I must be going my way". Afterwards Mitch is unable to speak and what follows is total feedback mayhem from Jimi's guitar that appaers to simulate the sound of an alien spacecraft. Apparently Mr. Carusoe himself was an alien! What a cool way of starting an album! Then we go into the first proper song of the album called "Up From The Skies" displaying a jazzy direction. Good guitar sound drenched in wah wah here and interesting science fiction inspired lyrics to go along. Before it fades Jimi plays some cool bluesy licks. Next comes "Spanish Castle Magic" with it's psychedelic lyrics, it's one of Jimi's most popular songs and became an integral part of the live set. You could say this is awesome early hard rock! Now it's time to take a turn and we find "Wait Until Tomorrow" that could be described as a fine piece of funk-pop! Note the good backing vocals of Noel and Mitch in the chorus. At the end Mitch plays some nice drum fills in between the chorus until the fade out that leads to "Ain't No Telling". This is the shortest song on the album lasting only about one minute and forty seconds. There's a feeling of urgency here that I really like. In the middle some interesting chord progressions and riffs occur and before you know it it's all over. One of my favorites from the album! However ther's still plenty of highlights to come and the soulful ballad "Lttle Wing" is no exception. This got to be one of Jimi's best ballads he ever wrote! Starting with that Curtis Mayfield influenced chordal rhythm guitar so prominent in this album, it's a masterpiece to say the least. The glockenspiel adds a nice touch. The vocals are also memorable and to finish it off, Jimi plays a great melodic solo! Too bad it fades quickly! Now it's on to "If Six Was Nine" which combines jazz with avant-garde and the results are nothing short of excellent. Towards the end Jimi plays flute but not in a musical kind of way but rather he blows manicaly through the thing! "You Got Me Floatin'" goes in a funk-rock direction. Pay attention in the middle for great interplay between band members: cool bass lines, funky rhythm guitar playing, plus a backward guitar overdub. "Castles Made Of Sand" is another highlight that starts with a cool oriental sounding melody, inventive lyrics are showcased and again a backward guitar is included too. A fine piece of psychedelic rock indeed. Now it's time for bass player Noel to sing on the pop number "She's So Fine" that he also wrote. Killer rhythm guitar here and Mitch sings some background vocals. I really like this song! Often quite underrated for some reson! "One Rainy Wish" is the sceond of the album's excellent soul ballads while "Little Miss Lover" returns to the funk-rock style. Before the album finishes comes the final ballad "Bold As Love" and ends up being one of the best songs on the album. Great vocal performance by Jimi and then proceeds to play an amazing solo until it fades bringing this album to a close. The second release by The Jimi Hendrix Experience is often very underrated for some reaon but for me, it's a solid five-star album all the way! If you like psychedelic rock then you should add this masterpiece to your collection for sure! Thanks for taking the time to read! Later...
	The Doobie Brothers - The Best of the Doobies [Warner Bros.]
	"A Great Doobie Brothers Compilation"	2008-08-11
This is the best way to acquire the band's excellent radio hits. However if you want to dig a little deeper, a two-disc compilation is a better choice. Only eleven songs are featured here but all of them are great and are taken from the band's first five albums starting with their self-titled debut released in 1971 to "Takin' It To The Streets" which came out in 1976. These songs show the band's songwriting skills very well. Guitarists Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons are the main songwriters and sing most of the songs featured here. Hard rock number "China Grove" starts the album with an awesome riff. In a similar vein is the last number "Without You" which is also pure hard rock at it's finest! In between there's the funky "Long Train Runnin'", the country-influenced "South City Midnight Lady" and their fine cover of the Byrds' "Jesus Is Just Alright". Let's not forget one of their most popular songs called "Listen To The Music". This is one of the best songs on the album! Great singing throughout with a very catchy chorus that features some nice banjo playing too. "Rockin' Down The Highway" is another memorable hard rock song. Later in their career singer/keyboard player Michael McDonald joined the band. Jazz and soul influences became more prominent in the songwriting as evidenced by the excellent songs "Taking It To The Streets" and "It Keeps You Runnin'". So this is a great compilation to have if you only want their radio hits! You can't go wrong with this purchase as all songs featured are excellent! Thanks for taking the time to read! Later...
	Queen - The Crown Jewels
	"Great Box Set Containing Their First Eight Albums"	2008-08-10
If you are a Queen fan and still don't have any of their first eight albums, then this is a must buy! Queen was easily one of the best rock bands in the history of the universe! The albums included were remastered and they are "Queen" (1973), "Queen II" (1974), "Sheer Heart Attack" (1974), "A Night At The Opera" (1975), "A Day At The Races" (1976), "News Of The World" (1977), "Jazz" (1978), and "The Game" (1980). All these albums are great and show diverse songwriting styles. These guys, (singer/piano player Freddy Mercury, guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon, and drummer Roger Taylor), were never afraid of trying any style that they could think of. All four members of the group get a chance to show their songwriting skills and with the exception of John Deacon, they also get to sing lead vocals throughout too. Throughout this box set there's hard rock ("Keep Yourself Alive", "Liar", "Great King Rat", "Sweet Lady"), folk rock ("Night Comes Down", "39", "Leaving Home Ain't Easy"), lots of piano driven ballads ("Doing Alright", "Nevermore", "Dear Friends", "Jealousy"), excellent pop singles ("Killer Queen", You're My Best Friend", Seven Seas Of Rhye", "Don't Stop Me Now"), progressive rock ("The March Of The Black Queen", "The Prophet's Song"), jazzy ballads ("My Melancholy Blues", "Dreamer's Ball"), funk rock ("Fun It", "Another One Bites The Dust", "Fight From The Inside", "Dragon Attack"), new wave-influenced tracks ("Coming Soon", "Rock It"), heavy metal ("Stone Cold Crazy", "Brighton Rock", "Dead On Time"), a latin-infused pop number ("Who Needs You"), arena rock ("It's Late", "Spread Your Wings", "We Are The Champions"), punk rock ("Sheer Heart Attack"), rockabilly ("Crazy Little Thing Called Love"), blues-rock ("Sleeping On The Sidewalk"), opera-influenced passages ("Bohemian Rhapsody"), and even an eastern influenced song ("Mustapha"). Man! Talk about diversity! Some minor complains: The live album released in 1979 "Live Killers" was left off. So don't forget to get that one too! The albums come in mini LP style cardboard covers that look really nice, however they are quite fragile. Of course the booklet, while containing an essay and all song lyrics, is a little disappointing though. More rare pictures could have been added. Also, some unreleased songs would have been a good addition too. But those are only minor complains. It's still an excellent box set with awesome remastered sound so this is, by far, the best way to get these eight classic albums in one package.
	Deep Purple - Burn [Bonus Tracks]
	"Deep Purple's First Album Featuring The Mk III Line-Up"	2008-08-08
In mid 1973 both singer Ian Gillan and bass player Roger Glover left the group. The future of Deep Purple seemed uncertain but singer David Coverdale and bass player Glenn Hughes came to save the day! The line-up change brougth a new direction to this album. There is a certain funk/blues vibe throughout the recording which I enjoyed as much as their previous more straighforward hard rock laden lps. Still there is plenty of hard rock to be found here! Highlights include the opening track "Burn" that starts with a killer guitar riff from Ritchie Blackmore, shattering vocals by Coverdale and in the chorus Hughes joins for back up vocals too, but what makes this song stand out are the two solos. The first is on the guitar and is one of the best solos on the album. In the second solo, keyboard player Jon Lord steals the show with an awesome minor key theme played on a moog synth! After that comes "Might Just Take Your Life" showcasing their new blusier style. Another highlight is "You Fool No One" that goes in the new funk direction and includes a memorable vocal melody sung by Coverdale and Hughes at the same time, a cool drum beat by Ian Paice, plus another awesome solo by Blackmore. When played on stage, the band would stretch this song out to about 20 minutes to include extended guitar and drum improvisations. Here it only lasts about four minutes and a half. "Mistreated" is another highlight, in fact, this is easily one of the best songs on the album! Yet another killer guitar riff opens this seven-minute long blues epic and this is Coverdale's best vocal performance on the album! In the middle a haunting minor key harmonized melody played on guitar comes in and Blackmore really tears it up towards the end! The album ends with the strange instrumental "A 200" which is excellent indeed. Drummer Ian Paice plays a bolero rhythm and this is basically a showcase for Lord's moog synth but there's still room for Blackmore to play an awesome aggressive solo! A great album from start to finish this is! Not a weak moment to be found so this is a fine addition to a hard rock collection. Make sure you get this remastered version that came out in 2005. Not only it sounds better than the old one but it also includes the hard to find b-side "Coronarias Redig". A very interesting song indeed. Blackmore plays like a demon throughout this funky number but you will notice a melody that Blackmore later recycled for the song "Catch The Rainbow" from Rainbow's debut album! Let's not forget about the additional four remixes included. While they are not something revelatory, it's always nice to have extra material. Thanks for taking the time to read! Later...
	The Police - Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings
	"Every Note That The Police Recorded!"	2008-08-07
What a great idea this is! Basically this box set gathers the band's five excellent albums together which are "Outlandos d'Amour" (1978), "Reggatta de Blanc" (1979), "Zenyatta Mondatta" (1980), "Ghost In The Machine" (1981), and "Synchronicity" (1983) plus many b-sides that range from studio recordings not included in the albums or live tracks. Of course all tracks have been remastered so if you are thinking about getting the Police albums, this is the way to do it! For fans of the late 70's new wave movement or rock in general this group featuring Sting on vocals/bass, Andy Summers on guitar and sometimes vocals, and the awesome drumming from Stewart Copeland is essential listening as their fusion of reggae, rock, and other styles became hugely influential.
	Led Zeppelin - Complete Studio Recordings
	"Great Led Zeppelin Package"	2008-08-07
What a great deal this is! All nine stuido albums "Led Zeppelin" (1969), "Led Zeppelin II" (1969), "Led Zeppelin III" (1970), "Led Zeppelin IV" (1971), "Houses Of The Holy" (1973), "Physical Graffiti" (1975), "Presence" (1976), "In Through The Outdoor" (1979), and "Coda" (1982), each with remastered sound, are featured here. I don't think this awesome, influential band needs a big introduction but let's name the band members which were Robert Plant (vocals/harmonica), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass/keyboards) and John Bonham (drums). As you listen to each album chronologically, you can hear how the band evolves from their initial blues-rock act to incorporate a lot of different styles like funk, reggae, folk, and some eastern influenced songs. That's one of the reasons why this band still sounds fresh today! Also included in the "Coda" album are four interesting bonus tracks: "Baby Come On Home" which is a great outtake from their debut album, then there's "Travelling Riverside Blues" where Jimmy Page utilizes slide guitar comes from a BBC session and is based on an old Robert Johnson tune, "White Summer/Black Mountain Side" was recorded live for the In Concert BBC program, and finally the most memorable of these is "Hey Hey What Can I Do" which goes in the folk direction so prominent on their third album. Easily the best of these four songs! The only minor complain might be that the live album from 1976 "The Song Remains The Same" was left off. So don't forget about it! Try to get both versions of it if you can though. That is the original CD issue and the new 2007 remastered & expanded edition because apparently there are some edit differences between them! So the best thing is to get both and also don't forget about the "BBC Sessions" and the other excellent live album "How The West Was Won" too!! In conclusion, this is a must buy for the Led Zeppelin fan!
	Black Sabbath - Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath (1970-1978)
	"The Whole Ozzy-era Sabbath With Remastered Sound!!"	2008-08-06
The ultimate way to have all these legendary albums! In this box set are included the band's five classic albums "Black Sabbath" (1970), "Paranoid" (1970), "Master Of Reality" (1971), "Vol. 4" (1972), and "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" (1973). Plus the last three albums "Sabotage" (1975), "Technical Ecstacy" (1976), and "Never Say Die!" (1978) which are, in my opinion, very underrated for some reason! I found those three to be as good as the early ones! The reason for it is because these later albums has the band stretching out with the songwriting so the material is more varied. It's still early metal at it's finest while you get excellent ballads and the addition of keyboards on some songs add a unique sound to these last albums. Also of note are the awesome, extensive liner notes which contain quotes from other group members like Hetfield, Hammett, Novoselic, Rob Zombie, etc. plus a bonus DVD including the band performing the oldies rock classic "Blue Suede Shoes"! This is the way to get all the Ozzy Sabbath albums! Thanks for taking the time to read! Later...
	The Beatles - Revolver [UK]
	"An Excellent, Diverse, Power Pop Album"	2008-08-05
Easily one of the Beatles best albums! Diverse songwriting styles are showcased with each song seemingly having a different style yet they blend perfectly with each other. Of course in charge of the production was George Martin as always. It's amazing how much ground this album covers given the fact that none of the fourteen songs featured actually lasts more than three minutes and a half!! By the time this album was released in 1966 the band's sound had evolved a lot indeed. Especially when you think that their debut collection was released just three years earlier! Let's start with guitarist John Lennon who sings five songs here. The first is "I'm Only Sleeping" with a simple band sound of drums, bass, and a lone dominating acoustic guitar is one of the album's best cuts. But, for me, the highlight comes in the middle when Harrison come in with his awesome backward guitar solo overdub! Next comes "She Said She Said" with it's lyrics based on an LSD trip is pure power pop with it's loud, bright sounding rhythm guitar and cool lead guitar work thoughtout too! You could say this is early hard rock at it's finest! After that we go into "And Your Bird Can Sing" with a stunning melodic lead guitar intro by Harrison, great vocals and rhythm guitar from Lennon, and memorable bass from McCartney combine to create another power pop classic! In "Doctor Robert" a straightforword rock style is showcased with distorted guitars that is nothing short of excellent. In the middle an organ comes in for a nice change. Listen carefully at the end for that awesome arpeggiated, bright-sounding, distorted guitar!! Too bad it fades so quickly!! Now it's on to, by far, the most avant-garde inspired song on the album "Tomorrow Never Knows" that utilizes strange sound effects, a backward guitar solo and a tape loop producing what sounds like a seagull while Ringo keeps it all together with his steady drumming. On top of that Lennon sings some apparently drug inspired lyrics. Very innovative experiment to say the least! Let's move on to bass player Paul McCartney who also gets to sing in five songs. "Eleanor Rigby" is a stunning two minute neo-classical piece with psychedelic lyrics but it's the great string arrangement by George Martin that really steals the show here! Now it's on to "Here, There, And Everywhere". This got to be one of the band's best love ballads ever! Paul lead vocals harmonize perfectly with the background vocals throughout the song's haunting melodies. A nice change of style comes up in "Good Day Sunshine" with it's prominent grand piano but it's already time for another sharp turn and we find "For No One". Nice chord progression played on harpsichord, and after a haunting chorus a really cool trumpet solo comes in. The last one is the seemingly Motown inspired "Got To Get You Into My Life" with a memorable vocal by Paul but the most important thing here got to be it's unforgettable brass arrangement!! Without this the song's impact would have been greatly diminshed! George Harrison contribued three drastically different songs. "Taxman", the album's opener, is an awesome rocker that's made even better by it's aggressive guitar solo in mixolydian! "Love You To" is by far the most ambitious in wich he trades the guitar in favor of the sitar. The result is mesmerizing fusion of Indian and rock music. Note the distorted guitar that comes in for the chorus. Finally "I Want To Tell You" is surpirsingly pop sounding after the more ambitious previous song. It starts with a cool riff. No matter how poppy it may sound there's still room to experiment. This time it comes in that slightly dissonant chord used throughtout. Drummer Ringo Starr got only got one song to sing: "Yellow Submarine". Probably one of the most popular of this album that later was included in the movie of the same name. So there you have it! An essential album for the rock fan to say the least!!